After galloping at a good speed for about 10 minutes, the girls reached the familiar clearing on the outskirts of the Everfree Forest. Within the clearing stood a medium sized straw hut adorned with masks and other various oddities. The small chimney on top of the hut was spewing a light greenish smoke that smelled of grass and hay. The girls all exchanged nervous smiles and knocked on the door to the hut.

"Do come in Twilight and mares and enjoy the table of snacks I've prepared," came an accented voice from inside the hut.

The ponies opened the door and stepped inside the hut to see a black and white striped zebra putting a plate of carrots and apples on a small table next to 7 cups full of purple liquid. Looking around, a giant black cauldron stood in the center of the hut with various tables full of books and laboratory equipment surrounding it. On the walls and hanging from the ceiling were more masks, vegetables, and other knick-knacks. Inside the cauldron bubbled a mixture the same color as the smoke that rose from it. The girls had reached the home of Zecora, the local sage of Ponyville. Pinkie Pie looked at a particularly nasty looking mask on the wall and began to inhale as if she were about to sing. Fluttershy squeaked and pounced on Pinkie, putting a hoof over her mouth.

"Oh no you don't!" started Fluttershy. "We are not going to have an encore of 'Evil Enchantress'!

The rest of the girls facehoofed while Zecora softly chuckled. Twilight spoke up.

"Zecora! We're in a bit of a hurry…"

"Do calm down and have a bite. Everything will be alright," finished Zecora as walked around a picked up a dusty, leather book on the table behind her and placed it on a pedestal in front of the girls. They watched Zecora open the book as Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie munched on some apples. Sweetie Belle and Rarity quietly sipped their drinks which turned out to be grape juice. Zecora finally came to a page with a picture of a shiny, golden apple and cleared her throat.

"You came to me for help with a filly whose friends planned to do something silly."

The ponies all turned to look at Sweetie Belle with frowny faces while Sweetie Belle nervously giggled.

"What exactly did those fillies ask ya' for Zecora? This one right here told me they came to ya' last night asking about that apple right there," exclaimed Applejack as she pointed a hoof at the book.

"Yes this is true, it is not a farce. The fillies asked me ways to gain cutie marks. I told them a legend of the apple of gold, able to grant wishes to those who are bold. A bite of the apple is all it would take to have your wishes open to make. It is deep in this forest or so the legend says, but dangerous traps could lead you astray. So yes Applejack, I gave them the scoop, but these little ones took us all for a loop," rhymed Zecora.

Applejack turned to look at Sweetie Belle, who was starting to slightly sweat.

"Sweetie Belle, I think ya' need to tell me what exactly happened last night," said Applejack cocking an eyebrow.

"Well, after Zecora told us the story of the apple, we all decided that we could get the apple and bring it back so we could wish for cutie marks. I told Rarity that I was staying the night over at your house and swapped places with Applebloom in bed after lights out so that she and Scootaloo could look for the apple while I acted like Applebloom. I thought she would have returned before too long, but then you came in to wake everypony up," finished Sweetie Belle who looked down at the floor in sadness.

Applejack blinked away a tear and shook her head. She knew she was scared out of her mind for Applebloom and Scootaloo, but it didn't do her a lick of good to fall apart like Granny's apple turnovers in front of everypony. Applejack adjusted her hat and looked at Zecora.

"Alright so we know what happened. Zecora, can you help us find the little ones before they get seriously hurt or worse?"

Zecora opened a table drawer and pulled out a map with her mouth. She then laid it on an open table while the group of ponies surrounded her. The map itself looked ancient, but had several landmarks that looked familiar including the castle the girls explored when Twilight became a princess as well as a small icon off to the side that looked a lot like Canterlot. On the map was a dotted red line that circled around the map and stopped through several points that had pony skulls and crossbones next to them. At the end of the line was a cave that had what looked like a picture of an apple tree with a single golden apple growing on it.

"This map I give to you will lead your path. If you come into trouble, all you must do is ask," finished Zecora as she handed Twilight a small blue stone that had Zecora's cutie mark etched into it. "This is a speaking stone I will use to talk to you. Use it anytime you have a question or just feeling blue."

"What if you are just feeling happy and wanted to talk to you anyway? That's what I do when I'm happy, or sad, or hungry. Well that's me all the time!" stated Pinkie Pie.

The group ignored Pinkie Pie while Twilight turned to face the girls. Alright everypony, we have to go and save Applebloom and Scootaloo before it's too late. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, I want you two to fly ahead and scout out our path. Let us know if anything comes up!"

"Rodger that!" saluted Rainbow Dash while Fluttershy snapped to attention and copied Dash.

"The rest of us will follow the map and try to track down the girls before it is too late. Let's save those fillies!" exclaimed Twilight as everyone (including Sweetie Belle) put a hoof in for a group cheer. Rarity turned towards Sweetie Belle.

"I'm sorry little sister, but this is something we'll have to do alone. I don't want to imagine what would happen if something were to happen to you. It would THE. WORST. POSSIBLE. THING!"

Rarity then fell over a chair in an act of fainting. Everyone laughed while Applejack looked towards the door and hopefully in the direction her sister was in. She adjusted her hat and stood with her head held high. It was time to save her sister.

Behind a tree near the hut, a shadowy figure spied on the girls and smiled.

"Hmm, a golden apple that grants wishes? Sounds like something right up my alley…."